The Ultimate
by CoastalDreamer
Summary: Mitsuki was created and trained to become the ultimate weapon, the perfect kunoichi. After her village gains more power they decide to become "allies" with Sunagakure, but secretly Mitsuki is sent to strip the Sand Village of it's power. After Gaara sees himself in her will he blow her off like everyone else? Or will he try to fix her like Naruto had fixed him? (GaaraxOC)
1. Genesis

The Ultimate

Genesis

The travel from Getsugakure to Sunagakure was long and hot. It didn't help that Mitsuki was traveling in a kimono, but she had grown accustomed to that over the years. Boys like girls in pretty dresses, and seduction was one of her main allies during combat and missions. Getsugakure, or the Village Hidden under the Moon, is Mitsuki's home village, an island shaped like a crescent moon. It is very beautiful and tropical, if it weren't for the people living there, she would have loved it. The villagers residing in Getsugakure were usually wealthy nobles only concerned with material items. Mitsuki was sure she came from a noble family too but has never met her parents.

It was nice to leave her home though, after all the training and lessons she was finally free to do what she's been preparing for her entire life. Men wolf-whistled at Mitsuki as soon as her curves were visible from the gates of Sunagakure, she didn't get upset though, she was bred to look like this. Their uneasiness became palpable as soon as her forehead protector became visible, realizing she was a kunoichi. Shinobi usually didn't recognize the symbol of a crescent moon or the name of her village, however, Getsu was starting to gain power rapidly, which is why she traveled all the way to Sunagakure.

"Well hello miss, where'd you get a forehead protector? I'm sure you must of charmed it off some shinobi, you're way too pretty to be a kunoichi." The man heavily flirted. She covered her mouth and emitted a light giggle, forcing her chakra to push blood to her cheeks, creating a flawless blush, something she had learned to do in this situation. He had no idea how many thousands of men just like him she had quickly murdered.

"You're too kind! Actually, I'm just arriving from a very long and brutal trip from Getsugakure. I'm here to discuss foreign relations with the Kazekage." She answered, enchanting him with her emerald eyes. He nodded and blushed, opening the gate and quickly offered to personally escort Mitsuki to the Kazekage's office. Unfortunately, the shinobi guarding the doors of the Kazekage building didn't treat her with the same kindness as the man who had escorted her. Mitsuki was handcuffed and brought to the Kazekage's office surrounded by shinobi, she couldn't see anything due to her height.

"Kazekage-sama, the kunoichi from Getsugakure has arrived." The man in the front announced. For a moment, Mitsuki thought the Kazekage wasn't even present due to the amount of silence. Then there seemed to be some commotion.

"Kunoichi? They sent a girl? Well is she at least pretty?" An obnoxious voice sounded breaking the silence, Mitsuki assumed it was Kankuro, his outburst seemed to match the description she had studied.

"Kankuro, please act like a professional. Show yourself kunoichi, and excuse my foolish brother." A quiet but hardened voice politely commanded, it sent chills down her spine, this must be the Kazekage. The shinobi surrounding her shuffled away so she could be seen, but still held their formation. She could hear gasps and snorts, but she just smiled, thanks to her appearance no one took her seriously until it was too late.

She wore a light blue kimono that accentuated her curves and only covered the "important" parts. The fact that she was raised in an island showed tremendously while she was surrounded by people of the desert. She had a tan that glowed and made her appear very radiant. Her brown hair was dry and slightly matted due to the years of being exposed to wind and saltwater, it traveled comfortably down to her waist. She wore several bracelets made from hemp, most of them decorated with charms that held deadly poisons. She also had a couple strands of hemp wrapped around her ankle with shells attached, so she could remember where she came from. She had a small button nose with a permanent sunburn and a sprinkle of freckles that almost reached her cheeks. Her emerald eyes were protected by dark, long eyelashes and were looked over by dark eyebrows. Her lips formed the perfect pout, giving anyone the desire to kiss her. She had a small firm waist, her bust wasn't too big, due to her small frame, but it was big enough to get plenty of attention. Her glutes were also shapely and muscular, standing atop long, golden legs that were very lean, thanks to her training. She was absolutely beautiful, and she should be, she was bred to be this way. Mitsuki was very humble concerning her appearance, however. To her, it was just a helpful tool she used in order to be looked over. No one expected anything from someone who was beautiful.

The Kazekage didn't show a shocked expression like everyone else in the room. His appearance was more young than she expected. She had studied him over the years, and assumed he'd look older, due to the immense stress he experienced in his early years.

"You're the S-ranked shinobi that has been sent as a gift by Getsugakure to protect me?" The Kazekage asked, treating Mitsuki as if she were normal.

"Yes." She simply replied, she was taught not to talk too much.

"How are you supposed to protect Gaara? And how are you S-ranked you're still a teenager!?" The obnoxious boy, assumed to be Kankuro, questioned. Mitsuki looked in the direction of the voice and studied him, confirming he was the Kazekage's elder brother. His attire was all black, including his cat-like hood and he wore purple face paint.

"Did they not send my resume?" She questioned, a little disappointed with her village's organization.

"Yes, but please explain to us who you are in your words, so we can better understand." The Kazekage asked before Kankuro could blurt something else out.

"I was engineered to be the perfect weapon for Getsugakure. The leader of military in my village looked for the perfect mother and father to create me. He eventually found candidates that were strong and successful shinobi who were also very intelligent and appealing to the eye. After I was born I was raised by my sensei, a very strong sage who constantly traveled. Not only was I trained as a kunoichi, I was taught many other subjects, such as different languages, culture, politics, music, art, histories of several lands and villages, and pretty much anything else you could think of. I was to be used for wars and assassinations, the ultimate shinobi, but our new chief didn't agree with war and decided to use me to make new alliances. He thought as a first step towards becoming a stronger nation with many foreign relations, I would serve you as your guard, Kazekage-sama." Mitsuki had told the truth, but definitely left some important tidbits out.

Everyone except for the Kazekage stared at Mitsuki wildly after she finished her story. However the kunoichi on the Kazekage's left didn't trust her in the slightest and threw three shurikens towards her with lightning speed, as if to test her loyalty and strength. Mitsuki would have just ducked but the shinobi behind her would be at risk, not that she would care but she needed to earn the Kazekage's trust to succeed in her mission. She performed a perfect backflip catching the first shuriken between her feet, as she landed, she lifted her bound hands and caught the second, leaving her with no choice but to catch the third with her teeth.

"Very well, I will send Temari with a letter to Getsugakure accepting you and your village's treaty." The Kazekage held out a hand as everyone gawked at him. "You can call me Gaara."

He unlocked Mitsuki's handcuffs as she smiled and eagerly shook his hand, uttering some formality along the lines of 'thank you for this wonderful opportunity' and introduced herself. Meanwhile, Mitsuki watched from her peripherals as the blonde shuriken-throwing kunoichi fumed, she assumed this was the infamous Temari.

"Shouldn't you talk to the council about this instead of making the decision within five minutes, Gaara?" She rudely spat, glaring at the girl.

"Why bother?" Gaara rhetorically questioned then added, "You and Kankuro are tired of escorting me everywhere and having to come to the council meetings, thanks to Mitsuki, neither of you will be required. Also, Sunagakure gains a new ally that is very wealthy and has great power over seas and the ability to reach coasts of several different villages."

Temari, gawked at Gaara. It wasn't like him to seek companionship from anyone besides his siblings. She quickly closed her mouth and nodded, as strange as the situation was, she was excited to not have to deal with all the pious elders ever again.

"Kankuro." Gaara barked, earning the attention of the hooded boy, "Please show Mitsuki our village then, give her a tour of the mansion and offer her a room. I have some paperwork to finish, but I'll be home for dinner. Mitsuki, you can start working for me tomorrow." Gaara dismissed, leaving Mitsuki in hands of the hooded boy, who couldn't stop looking her up and down.


	2. Alive

The Ultimate

Alive

As soon as Kankuro guided Mitsuki out of the building, Temari started to scream at the youngest Sand Sibling. He was accustomed to his sister being so temperamental, he did as usual and just waited for her noise to cease. He decided to finish some paperwork and attempt to ignore her, which was proving to be a difficult task. Taking out all the swearing and rude comments, Temari's argument was based on her assumption that Gaara was so mesmerized by Mitsuki's physical appearance that he couldn't sense the danger in her. Gaara set his pen down and stared at his sister in a manner she had never seen before, empathy shining in his seafoam green eyes.

"Temari, she's just like me." Gaara whispered as if Mitsuki could hear, his gaze never wavering from Temari. She clenched her brows together, hoping for Gaara to elaborate. "She was raised to be the perfect weapon, with no other purpose other than to kill." His soft tone was distant, as if he was back in the old world he used to be apart of. That world was not a place for any human to be, it was dark and void of any feeling. As soon as Mitsuki walked in the room, he could feel that void in her. Although she covered it up by acting as if she could feel like everyone else, he knew she couldn't. He knew he had to help her, for that life, is no life and Gaara wanted to save her from the pain it would soon cause.

"Exactly!" Temari countered, breaking Gaara from his dark thoughts, "she was born to kill! She's dangerous! Why does her village want peace with us all of the sudden? And why did they send their ultimate weapon to bring that peace?"

"Are you assuming she can't change like I did?" Gaara questioned his sister's belief in him.

"No Gaara, I'm just saying, she's dangerous and I don't think she deserves our trust." Temari backed down, "I know you are going to stand firm in your opinion, just please be cautious. I can already tell she's very powerful, not only is she ranked as a sage, I couldn't detect the level of chakra present in her once. She could have been a civilian for all I knew. I've never met a shinobi who could completely conceal their chakra for that amount of time. Her concentration never wavered, even when I threw the shurikens!"

Gaara sighed as he remembered how vain his sister acted while meeting his new guard. Silence filled the room for a few awkward moments but was soon broken by the Kazekage's orders,

"I want you to bring my acceptance scroll to Getsugakure. While you're there try to gather information on Mitsuki, go ahead and bring your students with you."

Temari bowed and left to inform her Genins and gather the necessities for the long journey ahead of her. She hoped her brother was making the right choice, but couldn't shake the uneasy feeling of the situation.

* * *

Mitsuki noted how uncomfortable and nervous Kankuro acted around her as he attempted to give her a tour of Suna. The "tour" consisted of Kankuro running around pointing at different places, sweating, stuttering, and never looking directly at Mitsuki. She knew he was intimidated by her, this was troubling because Mitsuki was skilled at making herself appear to be harmless. Her aptitude for making herself appear this way was what made her so skilled as a kunoichi, if she couldn't gain his trust, the mission she has trained for her entire life could be in jeopardy. She needed all the help she could get with this mission, and she needed to count on the skilled shinobi in the area to be unprepared. The tour ended at the Kazekage mansion, which was more grandeur than she imagined. Mitsuki wasn't able to admire it for too long, she had to catch up with Kankuro in order to get a tour of the inside and receive her room. Per her request, she received a room right across from Gaara's, so she could keep a close eye on him. Before Kankuro scrambled out of her room she turned to hug him, attempting to start some sort of friendship with the valuable Kazekage's brother.

"Thank you for the tour Kankuro-sama." Mitsuki smiled as she released him.

"Just call me Kankuro." He squeaked before absconding from her presence. Mitsuki shrugged and pulled her scroll from her travel bag. She quickly opened it and started gathering her belongings, decorating the once dreary room. When she was just about finished one of the maids informed her dinner was ready. She finished putting some of her books in order but didn't want to be too late to her first dinner with the Kazekage and his family. She descended the stairs to find a large dining area only filled with Gaara and Kankuro. She assumed Temari had left with Gaara's acceptance letter already. She took a seat next to Gaara before thanking the maids for making the meal, they were very flattered.

"So Mitsuki," Gaara cleared his voice, "how are you an S-ranked ninja? You can't be any older than 20."

Mitsuki created another artificial blush, "You're a good guesser Gaara, I just turned 19 this month. The chief of Getsu, sent me to study at Ryuchi Cave when I turned 18 because I was born to be great, and my life has been nothing but training, from sunrise to sunset every day. Also because my scholastic knowledge is beyond what most shinobi know. I'm being humble when I say, I earned it."

Gaara chuckled as Kankuro noticeably became more nervous.

"Well Kankuro and I would love to challenge you and see how good you really are." Gaara smirked at his brothers squeamish reaction and Mitsuki laughed. Dinner wasn't awkward as everyone imagined. Although Kankuro was intrigued and confused concerning his brothers behavior towards the outsider, he welcomed it. As much as he loved his younger brother, he was glad to see him actually interacting with someone who wasn't related to him. Since his fight with Naruto way back during the Chunin exams, he had been slowly changing for the better, but even this was a big step. Although this girl seemed very nice, there was something deadly about her, and it wasn't just her body. Looking in her leaf green eyes, he could almost see the coldness in them, as if she was completely cut off from any emotion. She seemed to constantly be prepared for something to happen, she didn't remove her weapons for dinner, he never sensed a sliver of her chakra, and she seemed to always know what to do and say. Kankuro passed the eerie feeling as just her being a very advanced ninja for her age, but it didn't seem to leave him completely, even when their friendship grew.

"So Mitsuki what's it like in Getsu?" Gaara asked, trying to keep the conversation going. Kankuro thought he saw something ignite in her eyes, but it was gone as soon as it came.

"I think it's absolutely beautiful. My village is shaped like the crescent moon, although it is small, people seem to thrive in it. There is vegetation everywhere besides the shore. The sun is always shining, even when it rains. The sand is thicker than the sand here and contains plenty of shells. We home the most passionate thunderstorms, which rage almost every night during the summer. There are so many things to do there, perhaps we can all take a vacation there some time." Mitsuki smiled a real smile as she thought of her home, it was the perfect place for her and she would always love it. Even when she took to account all the hardships and tragedies that faced her there, most people would be bitter about the tropical paradise, but it was the one place that made the girl who couldn't feel, alive.

* * *

**A/N:**

** A big thanks goes out to my first reviewer, eapsokardu, I'm glad you're enjoying my story!**


	3. Routine

The Ultimate

Routine

Mitsuki opened her eyes as soon as the sun had completed rising, she smiled at her punctuality while getting up and starting her morning routine without stretching or yawning once. It was then that Mitsuki finally understood what a valuable lesson her morning routine was. As a kunoichi, her morning routine was the first thing her sensei started teaching her. Mitsuki saw it as a waste of time, most beginning ninja started with kunai and shuriken throwing or taijutsu. Mitsuki almost smiled at the memory of her three year old self complaining about the lesson that took a month to master. Her sensei made her learn to wake up every morning when the sun just stopped rising, this was very useful in the sense that she still woke up at the same time in different time zones. He also taught her to not be tired in the morning, suppressing her habits of yawning and stretching. She learned to get out of bed, wide awake and start to get ready for the day as efficient as possible.

Mitsuki was grateful for her sensei, even though he never truly revealed himself, she was glad he had taught her such valuable lessons. Although her sensei was great and taught her many things, Mitsuki taught herself many things as well. She learned that it never hurt to always be prepared. It was her ninja way to be prepared for everything, and that was what made her the ultimate kunoichi she is today. Mitsuki keeps certain items on her at all times, including bathing and sleeping. She never removes her bracelets filled with poison, her memory anklets, or her small pack of senbon needles. If she had to, she could fight a jounin with those items alone.

Within ten minutes, Mitsuki finished her routine of gathering all her weapons and scrolls and changing into an appropriate outfit. She silently opened her door, and walked down to the kitchen to help the maids prepare breakfast. As she closed her door, she heard Gaara's rasp breathing, his throat dry like the desert he lived in. He was awake, but Mitsuki decided not to disturb him, as she could feel his negative energy.

She helped a maid named Hana with breakfast. They got along very well, and forgot about the cooking until the miso soup was boiling and the fish was almost burnt. They quickly prepared the food and Mitsuki helped bring out the plates to the dining room. Only one chair was occupied, apparently Gaara was still locked up in his room upset about something. Hana and Mitsuki lightly giggled as they watched Kankuro drool on the table. Hana moved to wake him up but Mitsuki shook her head and dismissed her.

"Good morning sunshine." Mitsuki whispered in his ear as she firmly grasped his shoulder, slightly shaking it. Kankuro's head flew up with wide eyes and he wiped the drool off his face. He soon turned to his disturber and audibly gasped as he realized her close proximity.

"M-mitsuki! G-good morni-ing." He stuttered, his cheeks blazing in scarlet. Mitsuki giggled as she sat down.

"Kankuro, why are you so afraid of me? You haven't even witnessed my abilities yet." She smirked and Kankuro gulped down his food, his eyes widened as he seemed to remember something. Mitsuki sent him a questioning glance.

"Be careful around Gaara today," He whispered, "he was woken in the middle of the night by the council members urgently requesting a meeting about you-" Kankuro failed to finish his thoughts when his younger brother interrupted.

"Yes Kankuro, thank you for personally seeing to telling the council members about Mitsuki last night. I know I rarely sleep, but I do need to rest." Gaara glared at Kankuro as he sat down, ignoring Kankuro's "good morning". He watched in his peripherals as Mitsuki nodded to him in greeting, he almost sneered at her perfection, always knowing what to do and when to do it. Although at the moment Gaara resented her for it, he knew he would grow to appreciate it.

Mitsuki knew she had done the right thing when Gaara ate his food in silence, however she was completely baffled by his moods. When she had studied him she had prepared herself for a temperamental loner, when she met him she learned he was awkward, but friendly, and now she realized he might possibly be bipolar. His mood seemed to vary on his irritation with his siblings, and apparently they were bothering him. She observed as Gaara would eat with a blank face but exerted a constant wave of negative energy, at some points he would unconsciously raise sand at the table. As soon as he was done he announced he was going to work, and that the treaty would not be valid unless Mitsuki was on time.

Mitsuki kept her mouth shut on the short walk to the Kazekage office. Gaara was still fuming about being disturbed at such a time. He understood that taking the position of Kazekage was a big responsibility, but he didn't think he'd have to deal with those damn council members so much. Many people gazed as Gaara was shadowed by a beautiful kunoichi, but the pair were too distracted to notice. Gaara sifted through paperwork all morning as Mitsuki stood a practical distance away from Gaara. Although he seemed busy with paperwork, he was quietly studying Mitsuki. She just stood all morning, staring at the intricate designs on the door knob. She never complained, moved, or made any sort of disturbance, even her breathing was quiet. It was as if she wasn't even there. He tried to sense for her chakra pattern but failed, although a small amount was being emitted by her left ankle, it was old chakra. That sort of baffled him and he found two pieces of hemp with strange limestone-like rocks that looked shaped and polished strung on them, perhaps it was a part of her old culture in Getsu. Although Mitsuki looked as if she could stand there for several more days, Gaara couldn't take it anymore, her perfection was becoming more than irksome.

"Mitsuki." Gaara croaked, his throat dry from barely talking all day, it was almost evening, Gaara usually would have gone home hours ago. Mitsuki wasn't even bothered to turn her head, she just moved her eyes towards him. "The council doesn't approve of you, but they know that what has been done cannot be undone. They want to meet with you tomorrow morning here."

"Okay Kazekage-sama." She replied, quietly yet clearly. Gaara slouched as he stared at her again, he couldn't figure her out. She always knew what to do in every situation, she read his mood and knew how to act, but he didn't know anything about her. He felt like a big open book that Mitsuki had read time and time again, but whenever he tried to read Mitsuki he failed miserably.

"Would you like to go out to dinner with me tonight?" Gaara asked abruptly, acting on his thoughts. He needed to understand her, how she worked, and understand who she really was under her layer of perfection. Mitsuki finally turned her head towards him and gave him a curt nod as she smiled and agreed to go out with him.

He took her to a fancy restaurant downtown. They ate out on the patio and enjoyed the view of the moon and stars that seemed to be radiating off the sand. The townspeople were gossiping non-stop about this 'mystery girl' seen flanking Gaara all day, Gaara chuckled as many whispered about Mitsuki being his girlfriend.

Mitsuki sat quietly, nibbling on bread sticks and staring up and the big cream-like moon. Gaara noted her beauty in the moon like, but inwardly laughed at the thought that she'd look beautiful no matter the circumstance.

"So why did you ask me out to dinner, Gaara?" Mitsuki questioned, still staring at the moon.

"I wanted to get to know more about you." Gaara answered truthfully. Mitsuki blushed and smiled at him,

"There's nothing to know." She said, almost bitterly. Gaara frowned,

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not me. I have no personality. I'm a trained kunoichi, I do what I'm assigned efficiently and effectively and that's it." Gaara's frown grew at this answer. He knew he really had to help this girl now, she was just like him, all those years ago. But now, was it too late to change someone at this age? Perhaps he would have to send for Naruto. No, Gaara knew this was a challenge he was meant to deal with.

"There are times where that should be your mindset, but now is not that time." Mitsuki flicked her eyes to Gaara and studied his pained expression.

"I'm on duty right now, it is my job to protect you." She argued blandly. Gaara sighed, knowing she would probably get her way, she seemed to be used to getting her way.

"This is not a business dinner, I asked you to join me for dinner as a friend." Mitsuki's eyebrows furrowed at the word friend. This Gaara was different than the Gaara she studied, she figured she'd have to learn the real him at some point, and didn't see the harm in having a nice dinner. Mitsuki turned toward Gaara and smiled, and began talking about herself and her life, as Gaara shared his in return.

* * *

**A/N: I know this chapter wasn't my best work, but I knew it needed to be updated! Thank you so much to all of you who have been reading my story and adding my story and I to your alerts and favorites, it means a lot to me! Also I'd like to thank xmxoxoxnxy and Kihlala Sisters for giving positive reviews to this story, you guys rock:)**


	4. Acceptance

The Ultimate

Acceptance

Mitsuki's first meeting with the elders, and future meetings to come, went more than smoothly. The elders were very easy to charm and all enjoyed Mitsuki. They quickly regretted disapproving of her but kept quiet about it. They agreed to meet with her weekly as to "check on her behavior" but everyone knew it was because they wanted to spend time with her. The people of Sunagakure seemed to recognize her as Gaara's "right-hand woman" and respected her, some of the older women had already predicted their wedding day. Kankuro grew very close to Mitsuki in just two short weeks, they loved to entertain each other with jests and humor, much to Gaara's annoyance. Gaara had especially bonded with Mitsuki, finding her to be someone he much appreciated. It was relieving how different she was compared to his siblings. When he talked to her she listened, she wasn't afraid to question him, and she understood his moods. Being Kazekage with her around was easier, he would never admit this, but her brains often helped him in difficult political situations. Everyone in Suna was growing to love her and accept her, all but Temari who came back from her mission fuming.

Mitsuki was assisting Gaara with arranging missions when Temari kicked the door open, steam practically flowing out of her ears.

"Mitsuki, will you please wait outside while I speak with my sister?" Gaara asked, but Mitsuki understood it was a command. She bowed and left the room, feeling Temari's threatening glare burn at her skin. Mitsuki stood a reasonable distance away from the door, but channeled chakra to her ears so she could eavesdrop.

"Temari why don't you take a seat and calm down before you brief me on what happened during your mission?" Gaara poured calm energy through his words, although he knew his soothing wouldn't work with Temari. Mitsuki cringed as she heard a chair slam on the floor followed by weight dropping into it and deep breaths. When Temari was finished attempting to calm herself down she gazed at Gaara, showing the seriousness of the situation in her eyes.

"I'm gone for two weeks and everybody's in love with her already?" Temari spat, "My team and I worked so hard to question everyone in Getsu and we got nothing. No one knew her, they acted as if they had never seen her in their lives. There's something wrong there Gaara, everyone seems to have ulterior motives. This isn't right. Doesn't it seem strange that someone who just moved here can make everyone love her within two weeks but no one knows her where she's apparently lived for nineteen years?" Temari finished breathing heavily with anger. Gaara stared at his sister, putting his thoughts together. He didn't understand why Temari was so upset.

"Temari I know you think I'm young and naive, but I know the circumstances of this situation. I know she's dangerous and I know that we aren't sure what she's really doing here. But don't you understand Temari? Don't you see it? Look in her eyes, they are like mine all those years ago. Practically glazed over with the voidness. She doesn't live Temari. She does what she's told. She believes she is just a creation, not a human being with a life. I know what I'm doing and I know she is a risk to our village but I need to do this. What would I have become if Naruto hadn't been there for me? She needs someone, and that someone is me." Gaara sat back down, not realizing he had gotten up in the first place, he silently excused Temari and sat staring at his hands. After several minutes passed he realized Mitsuki was still outside, he smiled at her perfection, always knowing what to do. He walked out of his office to see her sitting on a bench; back straight, hands folded, and legs crossed. This time he frowned at her perfection. Gaara held out his hand and Mitsuki hesitantly grabbed it confused with her thoughts on Gaara's words and confused with his actions. He quickly helped her up and embraced her in an awkward, but sincere hug. This is when Mitsuki first felt her perfect facade crack.

Gaara invited her to dinner again, and told her to be ready in half an hour. Mitsuki decided now was a good time to lay down and just think. She doesn't live… she does what she's told… she is a creation not a human… the voidness. Gaara's words tumbled through her thoughts as they have been all day. Yes, she was a creation, but that didn't make her void of life, she can do what she wants. Right? Mitsuki had a hard time trying to convince herself, but then thought back to her mission. Gaara said he wasn't sure what her motives were for being here and Temari still hates her, she figured that by the time Temari finally trusts her, it will be time. A sharp knock on the door broke Mitsuki away from her thoughts, she opened the door to find Gaara with a large basket, he attempted to smile and said,

"Dinner's ready when you're ready." Mitsuki nodded and smiled at Gaara's pathetic attempts of showing normal human behaviors. They didn't walk far, just up a few stairs and they were on the roof. Mitsuki almost laughed at how cliche the setting was; candles strewn everywhere and a blanket laid perfectly under the moonlight. Then Mitsuki looked up and noticed that Gaara was not cliche at all. The stars were absolutely breath taking, she never thought they could look so big and bright. There were so many, so close together, as if they were bumping in to each other in space. Gaara interrupted Mitsuki's gazing with a small chuckle.

"You've never seen stars before?" His face cracked with a crooked smile. Mitsuki shook her head and looked back at the sky, afraid it would leave if she didn't keep her eyes on it.

"Not like this." Mitsuki whispered, afraid to disturb the mystical beings above. Gaara guided her to the blanket and began to release the food from their containers. The meal was nothing special, but being under the moon and stars made the night special enough to never leave Mitsuki's memory. Gaara and Mitsuki spent the night talking and laughing, but as the night grew older the tone of the evening became much more serious.

"Why did you do all of this for me?" Mitsuki asked, wondering what Gaara had intended, she pondered if it had anything to do about her "voidness" as he mentioned earlier. Gaara's smile faltered as he recognized her serious tone, he took a few moments to gaze at Mitsuki's smile, which never reached her eyes. He smiled sadly and sighed,

"Because I want to get to know you." Mitsuki frowned at his simple answer, having heard it too many times.

"You say that every time I ask you." She pointed.

"Then stop asking." Mitsuki's frown increased with Gaara's reply, she folded her arms and stared stubbornly. Gaara sighed submissively,

"Do you know about my childhood?" Gaara asked, staring at the moon in discomfort.

"Not much, just that you were a jinchuuriki." Mitsuki lied, not risking her cover. Gaara drew in a breath before he told her all of what happened when he was a child, all the killing, all the sadness, the loneliness, all the hateful actions from the villagers. Mitsuki shuddered at the story. Gaara finished and stared at his knees uncomfortably, he had avoided telling many people the story of his childhood for years, but he had to tell Mitsuki in hopes of saving her. He flinched when he felt the warmth of Mitsuki's soft skin embrace his. They had hugged only a couple times, but this time it was different, more intimate. Mitsuki whispered she was sorry for what happened in Gaara's ear. They pulled away after a few moments and stargazed together in silence. Surprisingly, Gaara was the first to break it,

"You understand why I told you the story of my childhood, right?" Mitsuki stared with wide eyes and shook her head. Gaara sighed, "We're the same."

"I'm not a jinchuuriki, and people don't hate me." Mitsuki knew this was a stupid response, she knew what he meant, but she needed him to go more in depth and to say it out loud.

"Mitsuki," Gaara paused, not knowing how to phrase his next sentence, "you aren't living. You can convey emotions perfectly, but when I look in your eyes, I see that you're soulless-" Mitsuki cut him off by abruptly standing up, she felt something rise in her body, it scared her. Her muscles clenched and she walked to the staircase her and Gaara ascended hours ago. She looked back at him emotionless, staring at his calm composure but startled eyes.

"Maybe it's my job to be soulless." And with that Mitsuki flipped her hair and stomped down the stairs, locking herself in her room to be alone with her rapid thoughts.


	5. Rain

The Ultimate

Rain

Gaara and Mitsuki both spent a lot of time thinking in the past two weeks. Gaara was constantly going over everything he said to her the night they shared on the roof, trying to figure out how to fix it, if there was even a way to fix it. Mitsuki wasn't talking much to anyone and was keeping as much distance as possible while accomplishing her job. How was he supposed to break her barriers and rip out the emotionless monster inside of her? It was nearly impossible, and unless she loosened up soon, Gaara would have a lot of work ahead of him.

Mitsuki was busy with her own thoughts. She knew she needed to successfully carry out her mission, but the persistent voice in her head was starting the gnaw at her conscience. Was she really living? Did she have a soul? Did any of this matter? Mitsuki ignored her thoughts and started to think about the bigger problem at hand. She couldn't ignore Gaara anymore. She had been training all her life for this mission, she couldn't let her village or herself down. But who said she couldn't at least enjoy herself? Although Mitsuki was warned several times about the consequences of making friends, she was willing to get hurt. Perhaps she could please Gaara and Getsugakure.

Gaara drummed his fingers on the worn out desk, maybe he could take Mitsuki out to go get a new desk. Maybe she just needs a change of scenery? Maybe she would like a nice dinner? Why can't she just forgive him, why is she so stubborn? Gaara sighed in frustration, he had never questioned himself so much before, especially concerning a mere girl. But Mitsuki wasn't just a mere girl, she was a lot more, maybe that was the problem. Gaara forfeited his thoughts and stole a glance at the window, the clouds were about to burst with rain, perhaps Mitsuki would be quicker to forgive him if they left work early.

"Mitsuki," Gaara breathed, she raised an eyebrow in response, "would you like to leave work early with me today? It's going to rain." He watched in confusion as Mitsuki's lips curled up and turned her attention outside. She nodded her head violently and shot a heart melting smile to Gaara. He lightly nodded his head and cleared of his desk, trying to think of an apology since he was finally starting to see an opportunity. Mitsuki just might still have a chance to gain her soul back. Gaara nodded towards the guards at the front door and let them know he was leaving for the day. During the short walk home Gaara felt sprinkles tap lightly on his nose and become absorbed in his crimson locks. He stared at Mitsuki when she suddenly stopped and tilted her head up to observe the grey sky above.

Gaara hurriedly broke her attention, "When it rains in Suna, which isn't often, it pours. We should hurry before it gets any worse than this."

"I love the rain." Mitsuki smiled and looked back to the sky, "You can leave if you don't want to get wet."

Gaara didn't want to get wet, but he wanted to understand why Mitsuki was so enchanted with the rain. He hoped she didn't think he was exaggerating when he said that it pours. Just as the thought left his mind, it seemed as if someone had cut open the clouds as the rain dumped on the abandoned streets of Suna. The once eerie silence had become a wave of noise, closely resembling the sound of rice being poured into a pot. The street almost instantaneously grew dark and reflective and he and Mitsuki became heavier as their clothes absorbed the rain. He silently observed in amazement as Mitsuki's smile grew wider and suddenly she laughed. A real laugh. Not the fake giggle that she used when she was complimented, not the snort she created when Kankuro told a dumb joke, it was a real hearty roar of laughter. Gaara soon smiled and was even more surprised to see her return his smile, a real smile, that was not just present in her lips, but had reached her eyes as well. She quickly turned from him and ran up and down the newly abandoned street. Many people stared from their temporary refuges of stores and restaurants and watched as Gaara the Kazekage, the Sand Demon, gloated as he watched a beautiful girl frolic around in the rain like a child. Gaara, who usually cared about his public image, ignored the attention and happily watched as Mitsuki became alive. This was a rare moment he knew he wouldn't want to forget. Mitsuki jumped in a few more puddles and completed a few more graceful spins before she skipped back to Gaara. He swore he would never forget the image before him. Mitsuki's brown, dry hair had transformed into black, silky locks, and the rain dripped all over her tanned skin, giving her a glistening appearance. But the memory he knew he would try to always hold on to, was the image of her actually smiling and laughing, being sincerely happy. Gaara draped an arm over her shoulders as she clutched on to his waist, starting to shiver from the rain that made her alive.

"I wish it would rain more often." Gaara smiled and received another real laugh from Mitsuki.

Although Gaara wished he could have stayed out in the rain with Mitsuki all day, he knew it wasn't healthy. He finally pushed a very reluctant Mitsuki through the doors of the Kazekage mansion and convinced her to change into dry clothes. Gaara quickly and happily changed before starting a fire in the living room. Having wood and a fireplace was a very rare luxury in Suna. The wood was usually imported from Konoha, which was very pricey. His fireplace was a main reason he loved living in the mansion. He reluctantly moved away from the warmth licking his face and threw some blankets at a reasonable distance from the fire. He was just about to invite Mitsuki down when she called him from the kitchen. He was a little surprised he hadn't heard her tumble down the stairs but then remembered her perfection in everything, silence included. His mouth watered as he smelled the warm aroma of chocolate as it wafted through the air.

"Hot chocolate?" Mitsuki smiled, the fire of life still present in her eyes. Gaara simply nodded and smiled at the simple but kind gesture of her actually preparing the hot chocolate for him, instead of requesting it from one of the maids. She carefully followed Gaara with a very full mug of the warm liquid and sat next to him in front of the fire. He almost laughed at how childish Mitsuki appeared, huddled in blankets as the fire lit up her face, clutching a mug of hot chocolate as she slurped at the rim of the mug, but flinched when she realized the beverage was too hot. This childish image was enough to push Gaara into his apology, knowing he owed it a long time ago.

"Mitsuki, I'm sorry for what I said on the roof top a couple weeks ago. It was really harsh and I don't think you're soulless. I just want you to be you, and be happy. I hope I see many more days like today." Gaara smiled, knowing this apology was a lot smoother than the speech he had rehearsed several times.

Mitsuki's eyes glistened in acceptance, "I hope to see more days like today too." And with that the pair resumed their comfortable silence before Mitsuki fell comfortably asleep in Gaara's lap.

* * *

**A/N: I'm so sorry it took so long for me to write this chapter! Unfortunately, the next few chapters may take longer to write like this one and will mostly be fluff. Please excuse my inconsistency and thank you so much for reading, reviewing, and favoriting me and my story!:) **


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